USS LST-981

USS LST-981
History
United States
Name	LST-981
Builder	Boston Navy Yard
Laid down	9 December 1943
Launched	27 January 1944
Sponsored by	Miss Helen Madden
Commissioned	11 March 1944
Decommissioned	30 July 1946
Stricken	28 August 1946
Identification	Hull symbol: LST-981 Code letters: NTLL
Honors and awards	2 × battle stars
Fate	Sold for scrapping, 12 December 1947
General characteristics
Class and type	LST-542-class tank landing ship
Displacement	1,625 long tons (1,651 t) (light) 4,080 long tons (4,145 t) (full (seagoing draft with 1,675 short tons (1,520 t) load) 2,366 long tons (2,404 t) (beaching)
Length	328 ft (100 m) oa
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	Unloaded: 2 ft 4 in (0.71 m) forward; 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) aft Full load: 8 ft 3 in (2.51 m) forward; 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) aft Landing with 500 short tons (450 t) load: 3 ft 11 in (1.19 m) forward; 9 ft 10 in (3.00 m) aft Limiting 11 ft 2 in (3.40 m) Maximum navigation 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m)
Installed power	2 × 900 hp (670 kW) Electro-Motive Diesel 12-567A diesel engines 1,800 shp (1,300 kW)
Propulsion	1 × Falk main reduction gears 2 × Propellers
Speed	11.6 kn (21.5 km/h; 13.3 mph)
Range	24,000 nmi (44,000 km; 28,000 mi) at 9 kn (17 km/h; 10 mph) while displacing 3,960 long tons (4,024 t)
Boats & landing craft carried	2 x LCVPs
Capacity	1,600–1,900 short tons (3,200,000–3,800,000 lb; 1,500,000–1,700,000 kg) cargo depending on mission
Troops	16 officers, 147 enlisted men
Complement	13 officers, 104 enlisted men
Armament	Varied, ultimate armament 2 × twin 40 mm (1.57 in) Bofors guns 4 × single 40 mm Bofors guns 12 × 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon cannons
Service record
Part of:	LST Flotilla 35 (Pacific service)
Operations:	Invasion of Normandy (6–25 June 1944) Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto (29 May–10 June 1945)
Awards:	American Campaign Medal European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Navy Occupation Service Medal w/Asia Clasp

USS LST-981 was an LST-542-class tank landing ship in the United States Navy. Like many of her class, she was not named and is properly referred to by her hull designation.

Construction

LST-981 was laid down on 9 December 1943, at the Boston Navy Yard; launched on 27 January 1944; sponsored by Miss Helen Madden; and commissioned on 11 March 1944.

Service history

During World War II, LST-981 was assigned to the European Theater and participated in the invasion of Normandy in June 1944. Transferred to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, she engaged in the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto in May and June 1945.

Following the war, she performed occupation duty in the Far East until mid-May 1946. She returned to the United States and was decommissioned on 30 July 1946, and struck from the Navy list on 28 August, that same year. On 12 December 1947, the ship was sold to the Salco Iron & Metal Co. for scrapping.

Awards

LST-981 earned two battle stars for World War II service.

Bibliography

Online resources

• "LST-981". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 27 June 2017. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
• "USS LST-981". Navsource.org. 13 May 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2017.

External links

• Photo gallery of USS LST-981 at NavSource Naval History